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School me on Habor Freight

2CRUZ

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Jul 25, 2011
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526
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Southern Illinois
The closest Harbor freight to me is about 75 mi. away. I want a 20 ton Hyd. press. What is my best and cheapest way to go about it? I've never bought any thing from there before. I looked at the shipping cost and it was out rageous. Scoll me also on how to use couponds
 
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Harrison2

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Jan 1, 2013
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Bay area and UK
print your coupon or save it on a smart phone/tablet. go to store, take the item to the checkout. present coupon. pay the remainder. return home, assemble. add picture to the new tool arrival thread. enjoy a beer.
 

jd_1138

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May 8, 2013
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NE Ohio
Get a 25% off coupon. Some items are not allowed to be used with the coupons however. Be sure to get a coupon for a ten dollar torque wrench too -- for your trunk. And there are a few other decent tools -- composite ratchets.
 

malbojah

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Feb 26, 2014
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Cape Cod, MA
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---what he said about the 25% off coupon. And make sure you get the new model (60603, gray instead of the old orange). And pick up a 20 ton air jack while your there
 

Streetbu

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Jan 7, 2014
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Central NY
There are usually coupons for a free tool, light or whatever with a purchase over $50. Might as well take it if its free! Sign up for their email list and you will get them all.
 

raysjeep

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Jan 24, 2014
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I have a HF 20 ton press. Ive used it for all kinds bearings bushing etc. It really is nice to have.
 

Hugh in NC

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Jan 7, 2011
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In my recliner, NC
Also, check online for their current shipping rates. Last year they had a flat $6.99 shipping fee. I ordered the 2 ton engine hoist, got it on sale, used a 20 percent off coupon, and got it shipped for $6.99. HF shipped 2 boxes, 162 pounds, from west coast to North Carolina for $6.99. Gas money to get to the closest store would have been much, much more.

Hugh
 

Bigbandguy

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Oct 18, 2014
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North Carolina
If you get any of the freebie coupons, one is for a small tarp. These come in handy for the inevitable leaking car and help to keep your floor clean.... or just to lay over the back steps when it snows and remove when it stops. Handy. Also plan to just take a tour of the place, you will find things you never knew you needed... cheap air tools (occasional use) cheap angle grinder (use mine once a year) body work tools, a can of bondo, a big plastic speed square for building stuff... plan to spend an extra $100 on that first trip and don't be surprised if you make an occasional pilgrimage.
 

Bib Overalls

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Dec 4, 2006
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Location
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Current GoodGuys Gazette HF Ad has coupon for the 20 ton press ($160 I think) and a 25% off coupon as well. Good through March 2015.

20% discount coupons are easy to find but the 25% ones are a little more difficult to come by. I think their New Years sale flyer has a 25% off coupon. If you purchase several items at the same time only one item, usually the most expensive, will be discounted.

Always ask the clerk to see if a 20 or 25% discount coupon can be used with an already marked down item. The cash registers are programmed and if the combination is not not allowed the register will not ring up the transaction.
 

malbojah

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Feb 26, 2014
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Cape Cod, MA
I didn't think the coupon were 'good' on a sale priced item...... IMO.

If it's a straight price reduction sale, then the coupon should work. If a coupon is needed for the lower price, then the % off coupon should not work

I was able to get the 20 ton press last week, on sale for $169 - 25% off coupon for an OTD price of $135

Going for the air bottle jack either tomorrow or New Years day: $99 sale price - 25% off coupon for OTD of $75 + tax
 
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Wood'nMetal

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Jul 7, 2013
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PNW Oregon
Check your local CL for HF presses. I see them all the time around here, in fact I paid $25 for mine in like new condition off CL!
 
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rslaback

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Jul 24, 2010
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Westcentral Wisconsin
You seem to have gotten a lot of partial answers in previous replies, here goes:

1. Take a 20 or 25% off coupon with you. The percent off an item coupon can be used on any item in the store that is not specifically excluded. The press is not excluded. This will take the corresponding percentage off the regular or sale price of the item.

2. You may not use the 20 or 25% off coupon on top of another coupon. For example, if you have a coupon that adjusts the price of the press down to $175 you may not use the 20% off coupon on that item as well. You may use the coupon on any other item in your order if you purchase additional items.

3. The press you are looking at is currently $199.99 (on sale). It does often drop to a lower price than this. However, if you can't wait for that to happen, $160 or $150 isn't a bad price either.

4. Take in a free item coupon with you as well. There are many to choose from. You do not need to find the free item in the store. Just give the coupon to the cashier and they will get it from the stash of all of them that they keep at the register.

5. There is an older version of this press (but most of them are already sold) that was orange. The orange press has subpar press plates that are cast and can break under pressure. The orange press (which you do not want, comes in 3 boxes). The gray press that you do comes in 2 boxes.

6. Different stores are fussier about coupons than others. Some just want to know the number, some want to have a physical print off of the coupon, others will check to see if there is print on the back side from another page in a magazine or will have the url on the bottom showing the web address you printed it off of. Most stores are of the first variety but the other 2 types do exist. If you post up which store you are going to, someone may be able to tell you which type your store is.

7. If you go on the 28th or before, there is a $149.99 coupon here. This is the same price that you would get from the current "sale" price and a 25% off coupon. If you plan to use this coupon, take the other 20 or 25% off coupon and use it on something else if applicable.

8. If you can afford to wait a bit, consider purchasing a second hand gift card to spend at Harbor Freight. Most suppliers get the card to you in a week or less. These cards can be bought for less than face value. There are many sites which offer these cards. Gift Card Granny is a great website which will show you which sites have the best percentage off. As of this posting, it is only 3.68% but if you catch it at the right time, it can be 10-14%. If you have one, make the purchase with a cash back credit card for even more savings.

9. Consider purchasing other items. Since you do not make it to the store all that often, before you go might be a good time to get some info on other products that are worth having. There are a lot of them. You also may want to look through the current coupons available to see if anything strikes your fancy. Slickdeals has a good list of them here. Note the issue about getting the UPC codes to display.
 
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bczygan

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DETROIT! Arsenal of Scrappers
Get a 9 person window van and hook up a trailer.

Invite 8 of your closest friends to go on a road trip with you.

Outfit each of them with 25% off coupons, super saver coupons and free item coupons.

Drive to that Harbor Freight and go crazy. If there is another one nearby, issue another set of coupons to everyone and go there. Repeat until all the reachable Harbor Freight stores have been visited.

Return home and pile up all your ill gotten booty!
 

csp

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Franktown, CO
Since the store is 75 miles away, call them before you leave and make sure that they have the part number in stock.
 

youngnstudly

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Apr 20, 2007
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79
Location
The "Whine" country, CA
I have to say that Harbor Freight is one of my favorite stores when it comes to places that sell cheap junk...at least you know what you're getting when you walk in, as opposed to shopping at a home improvement or big box store that is more expensive for the same cheap quality junk. Many of the good ole' "Made in the USA" tool companies are outsourcing now and you think you're buying USA made, but you're not.

When it comes to coupons, every HF store is different. However, my experience has been good when using multiple coupons together when buying multiple items, even multiple sale items. I rarely bring a coupon with me, but instead write the coupon codes down. This is probably much of reason I can usually get away with double and triple couponing....well, that and the fact the cute redheaded young lady behind the counter flirts with me...I try to get her to ring up my items when possible. :thumbup:

I always bring more than one 25% off coupon (with different codes and exp. dates), one 20% off (entire order), my track membership code, and what ever misc member only coupons I plan to use on individual items.

Sometimes the computer won't acknowledge all of the codes I give the clerk, but there are times when things work in my favor more than I thought they would. Some clerks are sticklers too about coupons. Just my 2 cents. ;)
 

CNGsaves

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Sep 26, 2012
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13,233
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KS and OK
Thank you guys for taking the time to help me. I'm going to start looking for couponds now and give it a try.

Good luck on your first trip to Harbor Freight.

+1 to print out bunch of free coupons and bring them with you. If you take a lunch break while you're down there, double dip and drop in again for another freebie before you leave town.

Finally . . . there is no . . . d . . . in the word Coupons !!! :D
 

hackwelder

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Jul 12, 2014
Messages
224
The quality of HF stuff is all over the map in my experience, ranges from pretty damn good to absolute ****....the customer reviews on their site are helpful and seem to be honest as there are PLENTY of negative ones
Anyway, if possible since you live so far away, unpack and inspect your item in the parking lot before leaving, I recently got burned on a very highly rated rolling welding cabinet that was built waay out of square, had to return it and it was the last one (not too big a deal since I live 10 mins. away from the store)
 
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Davefr

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Jan 7, 2010
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Location
OR
Make sure you stop at the ratchet area and pick up one of their composite ratchets. Even die hard HF haters like them.

They are really nice to use and very inexpensive.
 

Bib Overalls

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Dec 4, 2006
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3,318
Location
Jonesboro, Arkansas
All this talk got me fired up. I've wanted a 20 ton press for a long time and with the current deals I jumped. I was a tad disappointed. The press plates are cast iron with a warning label about breakage if you don't use them right. And the cross beam that the plates sit on is poorly aligned and rocks on the pins. So, I am going to make some press plates out of steel stock and cut the cross beam in two and re-weld it square. I am also going to replace the cross legs with heavier stock and mount the press on casters. The instructions call for bolting it down to the floor but I think that is there for legal CYA purposes. I'll take some pictures and do a thread on my mods when I do the job.
 

csp

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Mar 23, 2010
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Location
Franktown, CO
Bib Overalls is your press orange or silver?

The new ones are silver and have flame cut steel press plates, not cast. Sounds like you got some old inventory.
 

Trainman

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Mar 9, 2007
Messages
362
Location
Apalachin NY
Don't be afraid to ask for a discount on their extended service plans. We bought my son a compressor for Christmas ( the 21 gallon for $149 with coupon) and the list price of the 27 month service plan was $49.95. I told the clerk that was more than I wanted to spend. Her response was basically don't worry, she'd discount it. So I bit. With the service plan, a 50 ft hose, some miscellaneous accessories and tax the final bill was $211. Turns out we got her employee discount and basically got a discount on everything, not just the service plan.
 
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